Sail Astern

Sail Ahead

Head Home

Sail Astern

Sail Ahead

Head Home

"Doing What You Can"

 

     The tremendous response from all over the country to the Katrina crisis is a reminder that we Americans do have a heart, even if I sometimes wonder about our brains.  So much of this tragedy was undoubtably avoidable had the proper plans and precautions been implemented, but 'the milk is already spilt' - all we can do now is help clean it up.   My hope and wish is that this crisis puts into 'perpetual motion' a movement of compassion that ultimately transfigures a culture of self into one of 'selflessness'.

 

     It is this 'servant's heart' that compelled my dear friend Mel Smith to load up his trailer and head off to Mississippi to do whatever he could.    Each week Mel, along with

his wife Linda and a faithful few, has been providing meals and spiritual encouragement for over a hundred area homeless people.  Such compassion, and a literal sense that a 'cup of water given to the least of these' is an act of kindness unto the Lord Himself, made it im- possible to sit idle while so many were hurting. 

 

     Where was he going to go and what was he going to do there?  Well, only the Holy Spirit knew that as the trailer pulled out of the driveway and down the road.  God would lead him - that's all he needed to know.  There are two things that we, through our boat ministry, try to tell folks: one - "You can't walk on water until you first get out of the boat!"  and two - "In sailing, the rudder can do nothing until water begins flowing along its sides (no headway - no steerage): so, if you want God to guide your steps - start walking!"